...(Fifa) has listed on its website 69 hotels in Qatar that are recommended for visitors during the Men’s World Cup later this year.

SVT, along with NRK and DR, have been investigating how said hotel welcomes gay guests, as homosexuality is illegal in the country.

Fifa President Gianni Infantino, as well as World Cup tournament officials, have downplayed the problem and said everyone is welcome. But SVT’s survey trying to book a room for a gay couple shows otherwise.

Of the 59 hotels that responded, three refused to accept gay guests. These include The Torch Doha, the Magnum Hotel & Suites Westbay and the Wyndham Grand Regency.

Two of the three hotels stood by their position after being told it was indeed journalists who had asked the question, while The Torch initially denied saying no to homosexuals at all. Then they changed that everyone is welcome, but if you’re gay, you shouldn’t show your love in public.

33 of the hotels had no objection at all, while 20 others accepted the guests, but with a clear request that in this case one should not show that one is gay...

[This coverage is of the original investigative article available in Norwegian.]